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DIPOL Weekly Review - TV and SAT TV, CCTV, WLAN

No. 09/2012 (Feb.27, 2012)

One million Brits play computer games "in the cloud". Since September 2011, after the success in the U.S., the OnLive service that offers the latest computer games without having to buy a fast computer or an expensive console expensive, has been lunched in the UK. The service, requiring only a simple terminal, met with enthusiastic applause, during the first 3 months the site attracted more than one million registered users. OnLive is a commercial application of "cloud computing" technology. The service can be used on normal TVs (using a special adapter for $99), SmartTVs, smartphones, tablets with Android or iOs, and on ordinary computers. Along with the popularization of such services, the users will not have to constantly upgrade their equipment and waste time on downloading and installing games. They are installed in data centers, the user of the terminal only sends queries to databases.

To access the service, the user registers on OnLive.com, downloads and installs the appropriate application and ... enjoys the latest games, such as Batman, Arkham City, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 and many others. Additionally, there is the possibility of a free 30-minute trial. The biggest problem for the OnLive users is the need for a truly broadband Internet access. To fully enjoy the games, the minimum throughput is 5 Mbps. A slower connection also allows participation in the competition, but at the cost of lower graphics quality The online gaming is based on two streams, live stream and media stream. The first of them is used for the actual gameplay, the second one provides the HD video for live viewing and recording the events of the game.

The key factor for the service quality is the location of data centers that process the data. In the first stage, there are two such data centers in Europe - in the UK and Luxembourg. The USA is covered by five data centers located in California, Virginia, Texas, Illinois and Georgia. Since 2009, the maximum distance from the player to the data center has increased from 80 km to 1600 km.

DFC Intelligence, strategic market research and consulting firm focused on interactive entertainment, forecasts that in 2016 the global video game market revenue will reach $ 81 billion, compared to $ 66 billion in 2010. Changes in the distribution pattern on the gaming market, the sign of which is OnLive, will significantly influence the financial results of such giants as Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft. It is expected that by 2016 online sales in this segment will double, in opposition to a downward trend in traditional stores. Many techniques protecting games against piracy are not effective and do not safeguard the interests of game developers. "Cloud computing" provides a full protection, so in the future all sales might be conducted online. It should decrease the costs of distribution, so the games can be cheaper.

The new formula of distribution of computer games, so far offered by OnLive, is also an opportunity for telecom companies. A million users who pay a monthly subscription, obtained within three months on the British market, is a huge success of British Telecom. It is also a guideline for other operators that the development of telecommunications services is moving towards more advanced services than the (very) traditional transmission of voice and "standard" transmission of data.

Access rights in CCTV systems. Administrators of CCTV systems with multiple operators should arrange access privileges in a hierarchy, limiting access to some cameras and functions. Signal DVRs of 83xx series provide very powerful tools to create user accounts with different access/management rights. The system can have up to 64 user accounts. Using the same username and password, any operator can log in locally or remotely, with different access rights. Restrictions may apply to system logs, settings, disk and file management. Moreover, it is possible to limit access rights for each channel (preview, manual recording, playback of archives, PTZ control, and backup).

The DVRs allow up to 10 simultaneous remote users logged in. The access for online users can be denied or permitted by creating a black or white list of addresses (the range of blocked or allowed IP addresses). Similarly, the control of access can apply to some hardware (using MAC addresses). The system can also operate without any user logged on, in this case no images are displayed.

A multiswitch system with over 300 outlets and convenient form of power supply. The installation in the building with two wings should distribute signal to nearly 350 outlets. Taking into account esthetic requirements, the designer should use only one antenna array. To design the system capable of receiving channels from two satellite positions, using SatNet design tool, he chose line amplifiers for 9-input multiswitches SA-901 R70901, 9-input multiswitches from MSV-9xx series with different numbers of outputs, suitable for bus-topology systems, as well as splitters and taps of SS-9xx series (available with different attenuation levels).

The SMATV system with about 350 outlets. The design created with the use of SatNet software is available here (pdf)

When carrying out such projects, the designer has to take into account not only appropriate signal levels in all outlets, but also another key aspect - how to power the active components of the system. In the case of solutions based on the Terra MSV(...) multiswitches and Terra SA(...) line amplifiers, a great advantage is the ability to use the latter for supplying power to the other components of the system, via the signal lines. From the designer's perspective, an important element here is to place the amplifiers so that they not only ensure proper signal levels in the entire system, but also supply power to the distribution network without overloading any of the built-in power supplies. Theoretically, the whole system could be powered from one amplifier at the input of the system, but the long lines (ca. 100 m) linking the wings of the building might cause complications connected with voltage drops. The developed solution, with two additional SA-901 R70901 amplifiers placed in the branches located in the the second wing of the building, optimizes both the signal levels and power supply distribution.

Analog CCTV systems with fiber-optic cables. Modern analog CCTV systems are built based on fiber optic backbones, which not only allow for long-distance signal transmission (up to 20 km), but are also insensitive to voltage surges and lightning strikes. So, the optical medium eliminates major drawbacks related to the use of copper cables, especially coaxial cabling. The signal conversion necessary for the construction of such systems is carried out by ULTIMODE video converters. The converters are very easy to use and, in addition to the transmission of video channels, they can also transmit telemetry data, audio channels, alarm signals - via the same optical fiber. The ULTIMODE series of video converters gives possibility to choose the appropriate device to the requirements of the investor, depending on the number of video channels, the type of the fiber, or additional functionality.

The wide range of ULTIMODE video converters allows the user to implement optical transmission: - for 1 to 8 cameras, over distance(s) up to 2 km (multimode fiber), - for 1 to 16 cameras, over distance(s) up to 20 km (single-mode fiber).

When to employ F/UTP, S/FTP, SF/UTP cables for transmission of video signals with the use of baluns? The most important prerequisite for the use of screened/shielded cables is to isolate the transmitted signal from external electromagnetic noise. Cable shield acts as a Faraday cage, reducing the influence of external fields on the quality of the transmitted electrical signals, as well as lowering the emission of the signals to the environment. There are several basic ways to reduce interference in transmission lines:

avoiding areas with heavy interference;

segregating different kinds of cables e.g. running signal cables in trays, other cables on cable ladders;

if all cables are in one tray or on one cable ladder, keeping them apart by metal separators;

using shielded cables.

So, using shielded cables is just one of many possibilities. When we have chosen this option, we should remember that the equipment also has to have shielded RJ-45 connectors, to make the shielding effective.

The advantage of the F/UTP cable is better immunity to electromagnetic fields, especially pulses. In practice, the application of the cable is recommended when it is impossible to sufficiently distance the signal path from power lines. The biggest disadvantage of the use of screened/shielded twisted pair cables is reduction of the maximum range of transmission (usually 5-15 percent). This is due to a poorer frequency response (additional capacity). In the case of analog video transmission, the screen of the F/UTP cable should always be grounded.

Active video baluns of Etrix series are equipped with shielded RJ-45 sockets, so they enable the effective use of the F/UTP cable

How to monitor dark areas inside buildings? An ideal solution for such a case is to use the K1695 camera equipped with a mechanical IR cut filter and IR illuminator with effective range of 15 meters. Its three-axis adjustable lens with focal length range from 4 to 9 mm allows for adaptation to various conditions in the monitored room.

The resource CD-ROM provides free NVMS NVR software for configuring and managing up to 36 Sunell IP cameras. The ability of the camera to archive images on SD card protects the system against data loss caused by a failure of the LAN or recording server. The camera can be used in large IP CCTV systems e.g. based on NUUO NVRs.

Long-distance transmission of HDMI signal (above 20 m). Traditional HDMI cables limit the transmission distance to 20 meters. What should we do if we need to connect two devices located at a greater distance away?

Use active 30 m HDMI Cable H1302. To achieve this distance, the item employs a special amplifier built into one of the the HDMI plugs.

DVB-T and analog TV in a modern MATV system. The designer should meet three main requirements: the installation is to serve 5 apartment houses, distribute DVB-T signals from a local transmitter, subscribers with old televisions without MPEG-4 tuners (CRT TVs and plasma/LCD TVs equipped only with MPEG-2 tuners) are to receive the DVB-T broadcasts converted into analog TV channels.

Diagram of the MATV system for 5 apartment houses, employing fiber optics and distributing both the original DVB-T multiplexes as well as their channels, as trans-modulated analog signals

Free streaming to multiple users. Pixord cameras K1532, K1533, K1550, K1551 can generate three independent video streams with different parameters. The main stream recorded on the HDD should have the highest parameters, in order to provide video coverage with maximum detail. Another stream can be used to broadcast the video on the Internet, with simultaneous access from multiple Internet users. For this purpose, the owner of the camera should install on a computer with Internet access the Justin software...

Short video how to do live streaming on Justin.tv

A backup Internet link. For many companies, a sudden disconnection of the Internet can incur large losses. A simple, low-cost and effective protection against such accidents is access to the network using services of two different ISPs. The most common solution is to sign contracts with a cable provider (DSL) and a cellular operator (mobile Internet). The Failover function implemented in the 3G TP-LINK TL-MR3420 N2957 is ideal for offices and businesses, where a loss of Internet connection would mean problems with normal business activity...

3G Internet link as the backup connection for the LAN based on TP-Link TL-MR3420 N2957 wireless router